A Life After You
by ABlouise
Summary: It had been 3 years since his restoration. Dimitri had thrown himself into regaining his reputation. Rose's absence was a hole in his heart everyday but if there's one thing Dimitri Belikov was, it's a fighter. A small part of him always wondered if he was doing it for her. Hoping that she would one day return and he would be ready for her. But he told himself otherwise.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I only own the plot and any characters that I've made up. If the story get's enough interest I'll do a debrief and explain any missing bits.**

Dimitri had thrown himself into regaining his reputation.

Rose's absence was a hole in his heart everyday but if there's one thing Dimitri Belikov is, it's a fighter.

A small part of him always wondered if he was doing it for her. Hoping that she would one day return and he would be ready for her. But he told himself otherwise.

It had been 3 years since his restoration and Dimitri had thrown himself in to his career, night in and night out, training and working. He socialised a lot more than he used to. Not to say that he was anti social but he observed and thought and often kept his thoughts swirling in his own mind. However with everybody always watching him waiting for a slip up or just for an excuse to talk, he quickly re-learnt how to play the part: trying always trying.

This consisted of 3 major things:

1\. Sunlight (Dimitri always volunteered for the "night" shift) and Church

2\. People - to be reclusive and quiet was to cause concern

3\. Career

Before Dimitri's death, he had been like a god, now? He was twice as good.

He had to start from the bottom again despite Lissa and few of his old guardian friends' efforts.

But eventually people began to trust him again, he led raid after raid on Strigoi attacks, at first they had gathered information from him and then handed it off to someone like Alberta to command but she knew better and demanded Dimitri be granted the opportunity to lead the attacks.

He had been Strigoi, he knew how they thought from an inside perspective he knew how to play bait and even came up with some fighting techniques to use against them. He had taken what was unbearably painful and impossible to talk about and done just that.

Teaching those classes on strigoi and lecturing dhampirs and moroi alike about what it had been like to be a Strigoi, had actually relieved him of a huge burden- he had kept all this guilt bottled up and weighing him down, to let it into the light and talk about it was hugely uplifting.

But the one thing that he never talked about was Rose. No he wouldn't - couldn't.

"So why not just restore all Strigoi?" One student called out.

Dimitri's eyes scanned the audience and settled on a boy with brown short spiked hair sitting towards the back in a green shirt, there was no malice in his question just curiosity. Not everyone always reacted so kindly to Dimitri's story.

"Well, let's just say for arguments sake that we had enough spirit users and there were no repercussions in restoring Strigoi... "

The kids face turned to one of embarrassment and he shrunk a little in his chair.

"Not all Strigoi want to be restored. As you are aware many dhampir and moroi are lured into the life of a Strigoi by the promise of power, but like I said earlier that's not how it works in the Strigoi world." Dimitri added that last part to subtly remind the promising guardians of the power plays. You had to be old or damn good to be a truly powerful Strigoi, otherwise, like he had been, you are easily pulled into a "gang" of sorts to do someone else's bidding.

"Imagine a Strigoi who may have been turned against their will, being restored after even 7 or 10 years. It is not easy to live with what you have done, what you have been."

Dimitri knew where the new line of questions would be going and was internally grateful to the teacher for ending the session.

She was a new teacher, around the same age and almost the same height as Dimitri, with brown hair cropped to her shoulders, blue eyes and the outline of a star tattooed on her wrist. She commanded the class room well.

"I want a full page reflection written by Monday, based on what you all just heard!" She shouted over the noise of students packing their things into bags. "Whether you agree or disagree with what you have heard, why or why not!" She shot an apologetic glance at Dimitri, he couldn't help the corner of his lips that quirked up a bit in response.

As the students filed past, some lingering to try and glance at his eyes, or to see any traces of Strigoi. He flashed his award winning Dimitri Belikov grin at them.

The teacher - Ms Keller, came up to him and spoke.

"Well Guardian Belikov," her use of his gurdian title and not "mr" had immediately dampened Dimitri's defences.

"I'd say that went rather well! Thank you for coming in."

Dimitri relaxed his usually intimidating demeanour and nodded.

"Glad I could help." And he meant it.

"I have to say, I'm very impressed with how you rebuilt yourself - it couldn't have been easy and if you'd like to grab a coffee, I end at 2."

Just like that. No nonsense, straight to the point. Dimitri faltered for only a moment before smiling. "I'd love to."

"Great!" she beamed before turning and walking away.

Dimitri tried to read his western after his gym session but he was too distracted.

He pondered the thought of Abigail Keller. _Was this a date? Or was she just interested in his situation?_

 _Did he_ want _it to be a date?_ He sighed as he put his western down and grabbed a clean shirt to put on.

Was he even ready for dating?

His mind took him to a place he rarely liked to visit - Rose. It still stung him every time he thought of her. God he missed her and - no. He wouldn't allow himself to go there, he had worked so hard these last few years and Rose Hathaway was and always will be - his undoing point.

It had taken time for Dimitri to heal, he wasn't even sure he had wanted to be restored at first but eventually wounds healed and became scars. Over time those scars faded, he made peace with his ghosts. However one ghost still haunted him,

He remembered the look on her face as he told her "love fa-"NO! He threw the comb he was doing his hair with frustratedly, denting the dresser just slightly. He crumpled in a heap on the bed. His elbows on his knees and his fingers tangled in his hair.

He wouldn't do this now. He had spent months drowning in a depression and he couldn't go back there and right now he felt dangerously close to falling back into the water.

 _Abigail Keller._ He tried her name again. She was beautiful, the kind where men might take a second glance or come up to her in a bar but not the kind of beauty that was in your face and forced you to think "wow". She had brown shoulder length hair with natural small streaks of lighter brown running through it. You would only notice if you were paying attention - which Dimitri had been. She had average blue eyes not piercing light like lissa's or Tashas... His heart gave a pang of sadness at the thought of Tasha O'zera.

Dimitri decided he could like those eyes.

A thought snaked it's way in to his mind: _date her, it will be good for your reputation._

Dimitri was disgusted with himself, he would not lead this woman on and he certainly wouldn't take advantage of her trust and kindness. He'd dismissed the thought almost before it finished forming.

He glanced at the clock _1:40_ , it would be about a 10 minute walk from the dorm building he was staying in (temporarily while he gave lectures)

to the main building of St. Vladamirs Academy. He left for his date.

 _3 WEEKS LATER..._

"Dimitri!" The princess hugged him as gracefully as she could while stretching around the mountain of a man.

"How was it!?" Vassilisa Dragomir asked excitedly.

It was good to be back at court Dimitri thought. He was one of Lissa's guardians when she was at court but when she was at school Dimitri stayed behind. Her stretch of power only went so far and he couldn't be mad that they wanted to keep an eye on him. He would have done the same if anyone else had been dhampir-turned strigoi-turned dhampir again.

"I didn't know you'd be gone so long!" She added, Dimitri had been gone the better part of a month.

"Well I uh I stayed because I met someone. I -we um" he laughed at his own awkwardness. It was a good feeling.

"I'm seeing someone."

"Oh." Her eyes widened a bit

"OH!" She emphasised. "Dimitri that's great!" The princess exclaimed genuinely. However Dimitri saw her smile falter for a second and the look in her eyes.

The guardian sighed "I know -"

"No!" She cut Dimitri of, her resolve hardening, knowing what he was thinking because she had been thinking it herself. _What about Rose?_

"It's great, really!" She urged looking into his eyes as she said it, trying to show how much she meant it.

Dimitri had come such a long way and if this was another step he needed to take on the road to recovery then Lissa would support that.

Of course deep down she rooted for Rose and Dimitri but Rose wasn't here and she hadn't been for 3 years.

"What's great?" Came the relaxed voice of Adrian Ivashkov followed by his lazy saunter and easy smile.

"And why" he put on a pained voice "are you always in the library?"

Lissa chuckled "because some of us actually have to study and work for things in life!"

"That hurts cousin, really." But he still held his signature grin.

Dimitri regarded Adrian with a friendly nod, they weren't friends exactly but Adrien had defended Dimitri quite a bit when it counted.

"I'm seeing someone." He supplied so Lissa wouldn't have to.

Adrian's eyes widened in surprise before squinting at Dimitri. "Looks good!" He was referring to Dimitri's aura. Though Dimitri wouldn't admit it, Adrian's comment secretly relieved him.

"and alas, there be but only one left in the Rose Hathaway broken heart club." He sighed shaking his head while pulling a cigar and lighter out of his pocket.

"Adrian you can't smoke in here!" Lissa exclaimed smacking his hand down.

Adrian had turned back to his old vices after Rose had told him she was leaving.

 _"So that's my fair chance huh?"_

 _"Adrian I'm sorry, I-"_

 _"I know" he cut her off sighing._

 _"I just wish for once I could hate you instead of being the nice guy."_

 _Rose wrapped her arms around him and he held tight._

 _"Not even a goodbye Kiss?" He tried._

Wherever Rose was in the world, she didn't seem to require sleep.

 **Being that this is my first ever FanFic it would be super awesome to get some feedback from anybody whose reading, thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

"KNOOOOOOOOOOCK -OUUUUUUUT!" The voice boomed out over the audience who whooped and jeered in their seats. Eyes glued on the cage in front of them.

Sweat dropped from Rose's nose on to her clenched and poised fists. She breathed heavily as her muscles slowly relaxed and she stood up smirking to the audience. The referee came and grabbed her arm and held it up while the voice boomed out.

"DON'T LET HER NAME FOOL YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN - THIS GIRL IS MORE THORN THAN FLOWER, 5 TIMES UNDEFEATED, WINNER OF THE EVENING ROOOOOSE HATHAWAY!"

Rose dropped onto the bench in the change rooms and winced as her body notified her of all the places she had been struck. Her 5th opponent was a heavy woman who might as well have had anchors for feet and was a significantly better fighter than her first 4 opponents.

"That'll teach you for getting too cocky." Daniel commented while wedging a bag of peas onto her stomach.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her fighting gloves off, tossing them into her gym bag.

"I'm sorry who KO'd out there?" She shot back easily.

Daniel only laughed and shook his head.

"800 bucks though, not bad. 140 per fight, 100 for winning." He said as he tossed a wad of cash at her.

She smiled sexily, "I guess drinks are on me tonight."

"You bet your undefeated ass they're on you tonight!"

Rose obsereved Daniel from her seat in the booth. He was at the bar attempting to get a girls number, he was fairly attractive and well built with blonde hair and light hazel eyes and a nose ridge that models would kill for, but most girls - including Rose were attracted to his sense of self, he wore confidence well and was very easy going with a nice sense of humour to match.

He sauntered back towards the booth with a drink in one hand and a napkin with something scrawled on it in the other. He grinned cockily as he slammed it down in front of Rose, presenting a row of digits.

"That's 3!" He remarked.

Rose just rolled her eyes.

"Watch and learn pretty boy." She shot over her shoulder as she slid up to the bar.

"Aw Rose! You think I'm pretty?" The blonde gushed before taking a sip of his liquor. He watched Rose over the rim of his glass.

She was in a figure hugging black dress with long sleeves and a slit from her knee to the top of her thigh - over all pretty modest for Rose.

She stuck her butt out just slightly as she leaned on the bar and posed her lips into a pout while looking down "shyly".

It didn't take long before the first one flocked over. Daniel couldn't hear what was being said but he smiled anyway at Roses clearly over interested response.

She tipped her head back and laughed loudly before leaning in close and resting a hand on the mans bicep. Rose leaned over and whispered something in the mans ear. He immediately produced a pen from his suit pocket and scrawled something on a coaster. When

Rose's drink arrived she smiled at the man and gave his arm a little squeeze before heading off in the direction she had come from.

The mans eyes followed Rose and stopped in confusion when they settled on Daniel. He winked at the guy and did a girlish wave.

"Hey, don't scare him off! I could be interested!" Rose laughed as she slid into the seat opposite Daniel.

"35 year old desperates who wear suits to a club are your type?" Daniel quizzed.

Rose just shrugged, "I'm a changed woman." They both laughed in response. Rose laughed at the in-trueness of it.

She had left her guardian life 3 years ago. She was young, heart broken and stupid. As far as she could tell she was still young, heart broken and stupid.

She'd travelled around the world for about 9 months in a desperate attempt to "find herself" but had had no such luck when she ended up in a small town in Southern France.

She was low on money and motivation when she saw a flyer advertising an amateur fight night.

Through this she had found a club and her coach Mark.

 _"You're good kid, I don't know what your story is and quite frankly I don't wanna know - everyone's got skeletons in their closet but with skills like yours, I gotta ask one question."_

 _Rose pursed her lips._

 _"Are these skeletons gonna bring me trouble?"_

Mark had built her up and trained her for a few moths before letting her take on any fights again despite Roses protests.

He taught her how to observe and read people's already existing weaknesses and use them to her advantage. When fighting Strigoi you had one goal and that was to kill. You didn't waste time looking out for a limp or stiff movement that could give you the upper hand.

Daniel had been with the club for about a year and a half when Rose arrived and when Rose was finally signed as a fighter they began to train together. Rose had seen him in the gym before and always thought he was too pretty for fighting, but then again she guessed people could say the same about her.

Rose was the only female fighter signed to the club and it had taken a while for the guys to come around to the idea of it but she soon proved she could handle anything they might throw her way.

On her first day of training she had walked into the change room and opened her locker only to have a bunch of pads and tampons fall to her feet.

She efficiently kicked Luke's ass in their first sparing session and pulled one of the pads from her bra and flung it at his chest.

"Looks like you could use some padding." She quipped before sauntering back to the change room.

"Oh and you might find it helpful on that lip!" She called over her shoulder, remembering the kick that had split his bleeding lip open.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Luke, Toby and Aidan sliding into the booth, squashing Rose into the wall.

"What's the score?" Luke directed at Daniel who was across from him.

"3-4 Roses way."

The boys whooped and sent fist bumps her way.

A night of drinking was tradition after a competition and the boys and Rose always had a bet going, whoever ended up with the most numbers by the end of the night was bought a drink by each person in their group the next time they went out.

Aidan who was 18 was the youngest of the group and had won the bet last time. "I'm telling you, it's the baby face - woman can't resist it, it's in their instincts to nurture." Toby had argued.

"Yeah just look at Rose!" Luke added causing Daniel to choke and spray his drink everywhere.

"That girl," he'd pointed at a frowning Rose, "does not have a nurturing bone in her body." They all laughed.

Rose's purse hitting him fair in the chest only seconds later had only supported his statement.

Aidan was French and also Toby's younger brother, he and Toby both had matching blue eyes but differed where Aidan's hair was a mousy brown that curled if he let it grow out and Toby's was a straight bronze brown.

He'd followed Toby into fighting. Toby was 20 and basically fathered Aidan despite there only being a two year age difference. They had grown up with an abusive father and had been taken in by Mark and the club when they were 15 and 13.

Luke the 22 year old with brown hair and light brown eyes to match, was born in The States and had moved to Japan when he was 8 where he learnt to fight before his mothers career brought them to France.

Finally Daniel, the blond 21 year old with the cocky english accent had simply desired a change and coming from a family of wealth ended up in France with no prior fighting experience but soon became great.

Together they formed Roses best friends.

Together with Mark and the club? They formed Roses family.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

One thing Rose would not understand, was why her best friend, her very rich best friend, as in rich enough to pay international phone call charges would always insist on writing letters.

The dark haired girl stared at the opalescent gold embossed paper in her hands, imprinted with Lissa's perfect hand writing before letting out a whomping fist bump and cheer in the air.

Seconds later three heads suddenly burst though the door all peaking at Rose, wide eyed.

Rose stared back.

"You know I could of sworn I heard a battle cry..." Aidan broke the silence.

Rose was laying on the ground with her legs crossed over each other up the wall and holding Lissa's letter out in front of her.

"Liss is getting married!"

The boys all sympathetically turned to Toby who dramatically clutched his chest.

"Oh the pain!"

They all laughed.

Toby had been quite taken by Queen Dragomir the first time she had come to visit Rose.

"So..." Rose started, letting her body and legs slide away from the wall before flipping her self up.

"Whose up for a road trip?" She asked sheepishly.

...

The family of 8 sat around the dinner table and bounced conversation around easily.

"A wedding? Why on earth would we go to a wedding?" The 50 year old trainer asked through bits of steak.

"It's Lissa's wedding Mark, we can't miss it and she said you're all invited." Rose replied

Maura, Marks wife of 30 years suddenly chimed in! "Oh Vasilissa is getting married! To that black haired broody boy? How wonderful, yes of course we're going!"

The fighters all exchanged quick smiles at each other. What Maura said, went.

She was a soft woman who had captured Marks heart at 19 but she had seen enough to hold her own and keep the family together.

She was the one who first made Rose feel truly welcome, she'd been the nurturing embrace and forgiving touch that Rose had needed for so long, she taught Rose so many things - from cooking and hair styling, to growing and cherishing her self. She was Roses guidance and shoulder to cry on.

"Oh great, the States." Exclaimed Luke with less interest than a toilet brush.

What Luke's personal vendetta with his home country was, the group would never know.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Vasilissa smiled and nodded politely while internally sighing.

If she had it her and Christians way, it would be a small personalised elopement, but being the queen meant that a big and fancy wedding service was required.

"This colour should work however if not it would be best to have another one just in ca-"

Sebastian, the Moroi designer in charge of her wedding planning was cut off.

"No!" Christian snapped.

"We've already picked out 6 different purples and we don't need back up colours, if it doesn't work, well, make it work." He flamed his finger tips lightly for emphasis on the last part.

Before grabbing his new fiancées hand and dragging her away. Lissa glanced apologetically over her shoulder at a defeated Sebastian before giggling and following her soon to be husband. He somehow knew when she was at her limit and always reigned her back to sanity.

"If it doesn't work, well, make it work?" She teased at him.

Christian turned and grabbed the royal moroi by her hips, pulling her close and backing himself up to the wall.

"Perhaps I'm not working so well either" he smirked dangerously.

"Should I make you work?" She flirted back innocently before he claimed her lips with his.

...

Christian lightly traced his thumb over Lissa's hand and pulled it away from her mouth to stop her gnawing away at her nails.

She sighed and leaned her head into his.

"I'm nervous."

"It's out of your control, this is something you just need to let her take care of herself."

"I know but - "

"Hey" the black haired moroi broke in gently.

"Rose R.S.V.P.D didn't she? She knows what she's getting herself into and if any one can handle a bad break up, you know it's her."

Lissa relaxed her shoulders.

"She doesn't know though, not about Dimitri and... I can't not invite them Christian, not after everything we've been through. I _want_ him at our reception, and that means Abigail too."

"We'll make it work." He squeezed her hand and kissed his queen lightly on the forehead.

The wedding was a public event for all Moroi and Dhampir to witness and enjoy but the reception that happened later was a more exclusive and intimate event.

Christian grabbed the cake that sat on the picnic rug below them.

"Now, more cake samples my lady?" He held a fork full of red velvet champagne cake in front of her mouth.

...

Dimitri marvelled at his girlfriend who grunted as she swung her bat ferociously and smacked the ball into the mesh cage wiring.

Dimitri hadn't imagined ever being able to be in a situation so normal and human or even just so carefree and joyous since his restoration.

She swung the bat behind her and let it sit firmly across her neck and on her shoulders.

"I believe you owe me a kiss for that one Dimka."

He laughed at her use of his childhood nickname and the way she popped her hip out and smirked cockily.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I believe the bet was, a kiss if you could out bat me."

"Oh I think it's clear who out batted who Mr." She said while playfully pushing the end of her bat into Dimitri's chest.

He grabbed the bat and pulled it to the side of him, forcing Abigail to step closer in order to keep her hold on it.

He closed the distance between them and swooped one arm around her waist while bringing his lips down to hers


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Rose Hathaway huffed frustratedly and kicked her suitcase into her bed post. Immediately regretting her decision while hopping on one foot and squeezing her toes on the other.

She blew her baby hairs off her face and collapsed backwards onto her bed. She stared at the ceiling fan spinning on her beige roof until her eyes began to water. She wiped at her eyes as a gentle knock opened her door.

Maura padded her way over to Roses bed, carefully stepping over the strewn about clothes and suitcase and settled a reassuring hand on Roses shoulder, she sat up to look at the old woman.

Rose opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again, she repeated this three times before letting out a frustrated gurgle and collapsing back on the bed once again.

"Why... " she began, noting it was easier to talk to the ugly beige roof.

"Is this so difficult?!" She exclaimed throwing her clenched fists in the air and letting them drop onto her thighs.

"Because you're not thinking about packing, you're thinking about what packing will lead to." Maura replied.

"What? My best friends wedding? Sounds like a blast to me."

Maura chuckled at the young girls frustration.

"Going back need only be as difficult as you make it, you have the power to let it consume you, or to let it blow past you, Se Leva."

Se Leva was Maura's nickname for Rose, she thought she was funny calling her the french word for Rose.

"I know... I know but I just don't _know_ how to make myself know I know." Rose huffed out.

Maura stroked Rose's baby hair out of her face and ran her fingers along Roses forehead.

"Time can only do so much healing, sometimes what the heart truly needs is closure."

Rose tilted her head to look up at the old woman, bunching her eyebrows together.

"I hate that you're always right." She scowled.

Maura chuckled and made her way to the doorway.

"Thanks Maura." Rose added softly before she left.

"Always, Se Leva."

"Toujours" she whispered quietly to the closed door. Before heading off to Luke's apartment, it seemed Rose was not the only one in need of a bit of encouragement.

...

"Ladies and gentleman please remain seated until the seatbelt sign is turned off. We recommend wearing your seatbelt at all times while seated and wish you a comfortable flight. Thank you. Cabin crew you may now be seated for take off."

Aidan fidgeted nervously with his seat belt strap.

"Oh would you relax already!" Snapped Luke.

"Wh-what, me? I'm completely calm! Exclaimed the completely not calm 18 year old. "Look, order yourself a drink, put your head phones in - listen to some of that weird techno crap you like and zone out. I'm not putting up with your pussy ass the whole trip."

Aidan jabbed an elbow into Luke's ribs and despite the pain he was smiling. Aidan was already much calmer, sometimes he just needed to not think so much and the one way he did that was when he was in the ring.

Rose on the other hand, couldn't be helped. The girl bounced her knees up and down and pulled at a strand of her long wavy hair repeatedly.

Daniel slapped his hand onto her knee to stop it's bouncing and Rose grinned at him sheepishly.

"There's nothing I can say is there?" He asked her hopefully.

"Nope."

"And there's nothing I can do -"

"Nothing that won't result in an ass whooping."

They shared a grin and he squeezed her knee before letting his hand fall away. She'd be fine, if Rose was anything it was resilient. She'd come into his life like a whirlwind and it would take something twice as crazy to get her out of it.

She'd been broken and dejected and one punch away from breaking. He'd seen her that first night, in the amateur fight. She wasn't an amateur by far but she certainly had a lot to learn in the area of competitive street fighting. Her first few training sessions with Mark had transformed her, he'd watched her and slowly he saw the fire return to her eyes, it no longer seemed like something she had to do to survive but rather she wanted to do, the club had given her a purpose. Daniel didn't know what Mark had seen in Rose that made him go against his policy of signing female fighters, heck he didn't even know why Mark had given _him_ a contract but he was damn glad that he had.

...

4 hours into the flight and the gang was fast asleep, there was no in flight entertainment because it was only an 8 hour flight.

Rose was asleep with her legs curled up and plonked on top of Daniel's legs, her head was tilted up and resting on her chair, her mouth hung open, all very graceful to say the least.

Daniel flagged down the stewardess and asked for some water, she returned with a bottle only moments later and smiled warmly at what she thought was a lovely couple.

Daniel quietly popped the cap and aimed the nozzle right at Roses mouth. He squeezed forcefully.

Rose shot forward, her seatbelt successfully restraining her from head butting the roof, she let out a stream of loud and unattractive coughing and gasping. While the trouble maker to her left shook uncontrollably with laughter.

"You... little... shit!" She managed to get out between coughs and gasps. Unfortunately she chocked on the last part and it came out more like "little Shi-ick-ick-ick!"

The stewardess returned to see what was causing all the commotion.

"Can I get you some water m'am?" This only made Daniel laugh harder.

A few people had turned to see what was going on, including Mark, he calmly strolled over from his seat 2 rows ahead.

"Excuse my kids, they're not used to public behaviour, everything's fine thank you." He ushered the stewardess away.

He leaned in close over the two delinquents. "Can you two for once just behave?!"

Rose who had finally regained her composure's mouth dropped open.

"Me?! All I did was sleep!" She exclaimed. Mark fixed them both with his best disappointed dad look and walked back to his seat.

The two young adults scowled at each other and slumped into their seats before both being caught peaking at each other from the corner of their eyes. They faced each other with big grins and began to laugh like school kids.

"I am so getting you back for that!" Rose punched Daniels arm lightly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Alberta stood patiently waiting at the entrance to gate 37.

It wasn't long before she spotted a familiar dark haired girl emerge from a group of people, further inspection revealed to the old woman that these people were in fact accompanying Rose.

 _Oh Rosemarie._ Alberta thought to herself with a chuckle.

The two embraced like the old friends that they were before returning to a professional display.

"Well it's certainly been a while young lady." Alberta pointed her stern gaze at the once young novice, "too long".

Rose felt like a child who had been busted stealing out of the cookie jar, some things she guessed, never changed. She put on her best show host voice and introduced her clan to Alberta.

"Theeee best fighters you'll ever find in the world!" she winked at Alberta on this one and continued to introduce them.

Maura and Alberta chatted the whole drive to the court, it turned out Alberta's grandmother had lived in France most of her life.

...

Rose squeezed her fingers until her knuckles felt like they may pop out. Her stomach wound itself into a tight ball of nerves as the car slowly pulled to the entrance gate of court. She heard Mark mutter something about how odd the high security was but she paid little attention.

 _You're Rose Hathaway, what the hell do you have to be nervous about? You've been here tonnes before and it's not like this is the first time you've run away, since when does talk-_

Rose's failing self-pep talk was interrupted by the weight of two boys squashing her into the window.

"Check it – it's huge!"

"Yeah Rose, you never said she lived in a damn palace!"

"She must be loaded!"

"Keep talking like uncultured swine and that's what you'll become." Mark added to the boy's exclamations. Rose looked down to hide her smile.

The car pulled to a stop and was greeted by several dhampir who began to grab the luggage.

"Put those down!" ordered Mark. The dhampir obliged confusedly.

"Can't anyone do anything for themselves in this damn country?" He muttered while snatching up his suitcase. The boys shrugged and followed suit grabbing their own cases.

"Not you!" Mark exclaimed to Maura who had begun to wheel her lavender case. "Give it to Rose."

Rose shook her head at the old man's stubborn antics. She'd felt a strange swirl of pity when the dhampirs had arrived, could that have ever been her one day? And did they know what they were missing?

Alberta broke the ice, "men huh?" she laughed and led the group to their rooms.

It had taken 7 minutes of arguing on Maura's behalf before she finally convinced her proud husband not to re book a more modest room. Mark had agreed begrudgingly but the family of fighters all knew he was secretly pleased at having such a luxurious sweet and not paying a cent for it.

It was a 10 minute walk from where Mark and Maura were staying to the building where the boys would be staying.

"Two each in a room and Rose you'll be staying in the west building, room 205 I trust you know your way." Alberta winked and pushed a key into her hand before hurrying off.

"Dude check out the mini fridge, it's – well, regular sized! And FREE!" Aidan gushed.

Toby who had been reclining on the massive bed, suddenly jumped up and bounced over. "SWEEEEET! Dude, Rose this place is sick."

"Try not to drool too much boys, I'll see you later." Rose smirked and made her way down to the reception area where she was greeted with an all too familiar voice.

She'd picked up enough French in her three years to know that Mark was not impressed with the service.

"I've been waiting for half an hour!"

"Sir, my apologies but it is the middle of the night…"

"What the bloody hell are you on about?"

 _Oh crap!_ Rose rushed over to the flustered men at the big mahogany desk.

"Mark wha-"

"Oh Rose thank god, I've been around long enough to know we all share one moon and sun and this punk's trying to tell me it's the middle of the bloody night!" he threw an arm out to gesture at the frazzled receptionist.

"Uh it um, it's a religious thing Mark."

"What?" He looked at his prized female fighter with a scrunched up face.

"It's a religious thing, work at night, and sleep during the day, it's so normal here that I completely forgot to mention it, sorry!" Rose rushed out.

Mark opened and closed his mouth several times before settling with "Bloody Americans. All I wanted was the boy's rooms; don't think for one second that this is a holiday young lady, I expect all your usual training done!" Rose rolled her eyes at her trainer.

"221 and 223!"

She could still hear him grumbling about 'sleeping through the bloody day' as she made her way out the door and to the west building.

Rose took her time walking there, taking in her surroundings, she looked at the courtyard and then to the woods, she tried to see the magical barrier that encased them but couldn't of course.

She walked past the church and garden that she'd once upon a time had to work in as punishment. She felt little pricks at her eyes and quickly blinked them away.

So many things had happened here and never once had she expected her life might end up the way it had.

It had been easy for Rose to slip away, with all the attention Dimitri's restoration had attracted. That and not to mention Tasha Ozera. Rose and Lissa couldn't believe it when it was announced that guards had found Tasha next to Adrian's beloved aunt, dead. Rose had never liked the Queen sure but she would never have wished death on her. Tasha had killed her and then herself. Rose had planned to leave for a while and it was only after Liss had been made Queen that she did.

People could judge Rose all they wanted but she never would have left again if she didn't think Liss would be fine.

A painfully familiar voice rendered Rose out of her thoughts.

"Thank you, have a nice night."

 _Dimitri_. His name ran across Rose's mind on loop as her whole body froze, her mouth popped open like a fish and she stared 30 metres ahead of her.

The two guards said their final good byes as one settled in for his night shift and the other walked away. Dimitri who had just been relieved of his shift turned to the East and began walking. Rose who had been coming from the south, wasn't in his field of vision.

 _Ohmygod._ Rose felt as if an ice hand had slapped her, she started to shake. It was only once the figure disappeared from her line of vision that she was able to breathe again. She gasped and exhaled her breath shakily. She had a million thoughts racing through her mind and she couldn't settle on any of them to know what exactly they were.

Rose finally regained her composure and made it to her room, she was glad she wasn't sharing with anyone because right now all she wanted was to be alone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"SURPRISE!"

Rose dropped her luggage and jumped into a defence stance before surveying the scene in front of her.

"Same old Rose!" chuckled Eddie as he pretended to dodge punches she wasn't throwing. He enveloped her in a big bear hug as she broke into a grin.

The two sized each other up, Rose had only kept in touch with Lissa but even that had been hard to maintain. Eddie had grown into himself thought Rose as she surveyed one of her once closest friends. She knew he guarded a well-respected Moroi family thanks to Lissa's letters but apart from that, Rose started to realise she'd really missed a lot these last few years. She made a new determination right then and there to re connect with these people.

"Well you know, why mess with perfection?" Rose shot back.

"I wouldn't mind messing around with your perfection little dhampir, if you know what I mean." Adrian winked as he rose from his spot on the couch lazily before taking a sip of his drink and raising it to Rose in cheers.

"I'll be having nightmares for a week thanks to that comment; the only thing perfect about Rose is her right hook."

"Was that a compliment Ozera?" Rose grinned at the young moroi who just shook his head benevolently. Once upon a time his hair would have fallen in his eyes but now the older Christian sported a more modern style, shaved up the sides and a bit longer on top, Rose noted that it actually suited him.

"I missed it!" Cried a voice from the behind them, Rose turned to the doorway and spotted Lissa and Jill with a bouquet of flowers and a welcome balloon. The two best friends hugged for what Rose was certain was a solid 3 minutes before Christian finally chimed in.

"If I didn't know any better Rose, I might actually be worried about you stealing my fiancé."

"I still have a week Ozera!" Rose noted, referring to the wedding's date.

The rest of the evening was spent by the old friends catching up.

Christian told Rose all about the moroi defence classes he was running and campaigning. "I guess having the Queen on your side helps a tiny bit." And Rose told them all about her life in France. Adrian and Lissa discussed their search for other spirit users and Eddie told them about some of his best and worst guardian moments. The biggest difference of all was Jill; she had been this young timid, awkward girl when Rose had left – now it seemed she'd caught up to her height, she wore confidence well, she spoke without worry and was practically a typical royal. Rose felt the tiniest bit of pride in Jill's transformation.

When everybody finally left, Rose collapsed on her huge bed and sunk down into all the cushions. She blew out a puff of air that blew all her baby hairs off her face. It's not that she hadn't enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up, she just couldn't get her mind off Dimitri. He had been right there, so close that if she'd shouted he would've noticed her. Just so – himself. Rose scowled at herself, she was Rose Hathaway – she didn't freeze and become breathless around boys! No matter whom they were! Next time she saw Dimitri, she'd be ready. She wouldn't stand there floundering like a fish, she hadn't been prepared earlier but she would be now.

…

Dimitri walked to his room, number 220. He unlocked his door but was immediately alert.

"It's just me!" called Abigail's voice from somewhere deeper in the apartment.

"I was under the impression that you had your own room." Dimitri teased as he shrugged his duster off and hung it on the stand by the door.

"And I" emerged the playful brunette from the kitchen, "was under the impression that you would be hungry, besides you have new neighbours and well I wanted to sticky beak." She turned back to the kitchen. Dimitri followed her and was stopped shell shocked when the scent hit his nose.

"Solyanka?" he asked disbelievingly. Abigail turned to him suddenly shy; she looked at the ground while speaking before training her big blue eyes on his. "I – I hope I got it right, I found a Russian cookbook the other week and thought I would surprise you, I thought maybe you mustn't have had it in a while…" she trailed off.

Dimitri closed the distance between them in one step and kissed her lightly on the forehead, "thank you."

…

Dimitri was awoken 6 hours later by a pounding on the door.

Not his door he noted as he checked the time: 7:00pm.

 _It must be the new neighbours._

"Yo coach what up." Luke asked while he swung the door open to reveal Mark.

"Training." He replied just as Toby and Aidan swung their door open.

"What, now? We were just about to order dinner." Whinged Toby.

Mark only grunted in return.

"Get dressed and get the flower (Rose), apparently everything here is upside down – bloody religious nuts."

The boys just looked at each other before returning to their rooms to get dressed.

Rose swung her door open to reveal her family waiting outside with bemused expressions, she hadn't been sleeping, purely because her body clock wasn't yet in synch with the moroi time schedule but she was still exhausted to say the least.

"Rose, what's he mean by its day time now?"

"It's backwards here, night is day – day is night." She laughed to seem more relaxed than she was, she'd been so pre occupied with returning home that she completely forgotten what it would be like for a bunch of humans.

"This is an American thing?" Aidan asked confused, glancing between Rose and Luke.

"Oh Na-uh, we've got some weird habits but this ain't one of them." Luke supplied looking at Rose just as curiously.

"It's a religious thing ok? Don't ask about it though… it's offensive, _highly_ offensive. Just… try not to act like uncultured swine." she smirked on this last part remembering Marks words from earlier.

Daniel scoffed and rolled his eyes at her in response.

15 minutes later they were in one of the courts many training rooms.

"Holy shit – look at all this, there's targets!"

The gym was pretty impressive even Rose was always amazed by it. What she wasn't amazed by was the 7 minute warm up run Mark had decided they needed to do.

"There's a whole room filled with state of the art gear in there and you want us to… run?"

"I swear it's like I'm not speaking English, does no one here understand anything?" he grumbled before pulling out his stopwatch.

Rose was used to running but that didn't mean she always wanted to spend her time doing it, especially with four testosterone filled competitive boys.

Rose collapsed at the finish line with Daniel right beside her, the two rolled into one lumpy heap panting and laced with sweat.

"Bloody hell!" coughed out Daniel as he moved his head from Roses rib cage.

Toby skidded to a halt, leaning over the two. A couple of seconds later Aidan and Luke jogged up to them casually, grinning at each other, the two had decided to save their energy and run without effort.

One hour and some serious boxing later, the 5 young adults were headed into the lobby of their building, ready to relax and pack it in for the night. "Okay team, get showered, get dressed and meet back here in 15!" Ordered Rose, "We've got places to meet and people to see!" she exclaimed more enthusiastically than she felt.

The 4 sweaty boys turned to look at Rose shell shocked, their jaws wide open.

"Rose did you take a hit too hard to the head?" smirked Luke.

"Funny." She replied in a tone that suggested she found it anything but.

"But I'm not kidding, the mo-cturnal time schedule here means that the day is only just beginning, trust me, the quicker you can adjust your body clock, the better!" Rose rushed the last part out in hopes that the boys wouldn't notice her moroi turned "nocturnal" slip up.

"Okay Okay Okay Rose, you're crazy." Daniel said earnestly while placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Lucky for you, so are we." Chimed in Aidan with a big grin.

…

Roses 15 minute recuperation plan turned in to a 25 minute plan as the boys all groaned from her temporary lounge room.

"Rooose come on!"

"Yeah even Aidan gets quicker than you!"

"Yea-hey!" Aidan grunted throwing a pillow at his older brother.

The boys fit of laughter died down as rose emerged from her bedroom. For the third time that "day" the boys' jaws dropped open, Daniel who was lounging about almost upside down on the couch promptly slid to the floor and bolted into a standing position.

"You're wearing that?!"

Rose smirked and shimmied up and down a bit before doing a twirl.

"You like?" she asked innocently

"Looks like we know whose winning the bet tonight." Toby chuckled quietly.  
"Should I get changed then?" Aidan asked innocently.

"NO!" the group all said in union.

"You're fine, honestly." Rose said as she surveyed the boys, they were all dressed casually but smart in button up shirts and fitted pants, not quite the suit and tie attire court was commonly known for but they'd be fine, rose was sure they'd even turn a few moroi heads and not because of what was pumping through their veins,

Rose herself was dressed to kill in a deep purple V neck dress that synched in at the waist and flared out slightly on her hips before tightening around the middle of her thighs, paired with black strappy heels that wound up her muscular calves.

"I just felt like dressing up a bit." She shrugged.

"I'll say – are, are you wearing make up?" Daniel squinted at his best friend sceptically.

"Okay, time to go!" Rose clapped.


End file.
